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Do Beltway journalists enjoy being used and then snubbed by Palin?

November 18, 2009 12:01 pm ET by Eric Boehlert

The avalanche of free Palin publicity being generated by the press continues unabated. And that's why Palin and her marketing team must be having a good laugh at the press' expense these days.

Specifically, Palin still has not allowed herself to be interviewed by an actual, professional political journalists this week. Palin has completely snubbed Beltway media elites (the same ones who won't stop writing and talking about her), yet there hasn't been a single murmur of discontent.

In other words, Palin's using the Beltway press to generate free publicity.  And then Palin snubs that same Beltway press corps. I'd think that kind of smack-down would sting. But apparently not. I guess political journalists think it makes sense that a high-profile political figure would launch a very political book and begin paving the way for a possible 2012 political campaign and, y'know, not talk to the political press. And I'd also think that a few political journalists might even raise doubts about Palin's future if she's unwilling to sit down with a single A-list reporter and answer tough, detailed questions.

And I'd think that skepticism would be especially strong considering how Palin so famously botched her big-time interviews last fall during the fall campaign. (i.e. She didn't know what the Bush Doctrine was.) Palin bombed in her serious press interviews in 2008. And now in 2009, she's rolling out a new book and what do you know, she's stiffing the serious press.

Instead, she's opting for lifestyle interviews (i.e. Oprah and Barbara Walters) as well as taking questions from her professional enablers, such as Rush Limbaugh, Mark Levine, Bill O'Reilly, Matthew Continetti, NRO, RedState, etc. But nowhere on her press schedule do I see where Palin's agreed to take questions from serious political reporters who might press her on specifics, as well as the contradictions found in her book.

Palin is completely snubbing Beltway journalists; she's going right around them. But they're so busy helping her sell books that they don't even notice. Or care.

UPDATED: And oh yeah, there's evidence that Palin lied about journalists in her book. But pay not attention to that, press corps members. Keep selling more Palin books! 

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    • Author by Midnight Kevin (November 18, 2009 12:22 pm ET)
      2  
      Palin will never be president. She does not command a firm grasp on reality and blatantly tries to manipulate everyone around her, but comes short. Her interviews last year should have been enough, but it appears Bill Maher was correct. As a voter torn between McCain and Obama, I anticipated the interviews and debates. When I watched Palin on television, I was shocked. She had no knowledge of international affairs and she seemed to allude to military confrontation with Russia over American territory.

      Sure she claims she was trying to sum things up for a soundbite, but I doubt that was the case in an interview! Maybe on her campaign trail where she would shout one second slogans, but in an interview?
      ---------------------------------------------
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    • Author by bruce_emory7737 (November 18, 2009 1:07 pm ET)
         
      "But nowhere on her press schedule do I see where Palin's agreed to take questions from serious political reporters who might press her on specifics, as well as the contradictions found in her book."

      Do such "serious political reporters" exist? I can see David Gregory pressing her to unequivocally commit to running/not running for President, but beyond that, she'd get the ususal Beltway softballs, and still be able to say the most blatantly false or ridiculous things without fear of challenge or contradiction.

      Or is there another political press in Washington that I am unaware of?
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    • Author by shaggles (November 18, 2009 1:35 pm ET)
      1  
      Why would she? She's never heard of any of those people.
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    • Author by smarshall1432997 (November 18, 2009 1:41 pm ET)
      1  
      MSNBC's Andrea Mitchell has devoted her entire one hour show at the first book signing in Michigan interviewing people about if Palin will be running for Pres. in 2012 or not, and it is just sickening. What is wrong with these people? We have two Wars, our President in China, or the High Unemployment numberss, or MSM helpiing to "sell" Palin's Book to get a possible interview. And MSM selects....

      Republicans really do control the Media and we ALL can see it with the amount of time MSM spends in promoting this "craziness". Oh wait, we just were looking at an empty balloon for hours as "real" news and Palin selling books must be "real" news too, LOL.
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